A variety of pet carriers have been reported in the prior art, all aimed in one form or another to facilitate pet transportation. Specifically, pet carriers are commonly used by pet owners for carrying their pets on trips or as a means for containing the pets when the pets are shipped from one point to another. Pet carriers also commonly double as sleeping quarters for the pet as the owner may contain the pet overnight to prevent the pet from wandering and potentially damaging the home or hotel room in which the owner is occupying.
There are, however, some shortcomings inherent to common pet carriers. During transport, the pet will require food and water and periodically will need to relieve its bodily functions. In addition, the food and water itself, which are placed in the pet carrier, may be overturned by the pet or by carrier movement during transportation. Accordingly, in either case, the pet carriers to date have been inadequate in their ability to efficiently deal with such problems and to provide the pet with a stable hygienic environment.
For example, some common pet carriers currently available have been advertised in the "R. C. Steele Wholesale Pet Supply Catalog", Brockport, N.Y., which illustrates "Doskocil Kennels" as a lightweight, portable kennel designed for safe transportation. Also shown is the "Vari-Kennel" design that contains what is described as a "dial latch system" for ease of assembly. However, neither of these designs display any aspect of how to preserve a sanitary condition in the specific carrier should the animal be forced to relieve itself.
More specifically, reviewing the patent literature begins with U.S. Pat. No. 5,769,028, entitled "Pet Carrier" which discloses a carrier including a main unit and an insert unit. The main unit defines a carrying space having a closed bottom and four sides, one of which has an opening therethrough large enough to permit an animal to enter the space through the opening, and the insert unit has a closed top, four sides, and an open bottom. After the animal has entered the main unit, the insert unit is lowered down into the main unit to close off the side opening. Then a foldable top closure for the main unit is folded to secure the carrier and form a handle structure for carrying the carrier. Both units are foldable and are structured to provide an enhanced strength carrier.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,503,107 entitled "Pet Carrier" discloses a container for manually transporting a pet having a litter box, food container and water container therein and sliding doors accessible from the exterior of the container for selectively closing the litter box, food container and water container to prevent inadvertent spillage. The container may also include a single compartment or two detachably connected compartments in order that a liter box compartment may be selectively separated from a food and water compartment. Detachable handles are provided in order that each separate compartment of the dual compartment embodiment may be carried separately or as a unified compartment.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,839,392, entitled "Pet Carrier" discloses a corrugated plastic pet carrier with two side panels. A side panel fold line extends between the base panel and each side panel. In addition, a diagonal fold line is said to extend from each comer of the base panel to a first median fold line for collapsing the base panel, side panels and end panels inwardly for collapsing the container from an erect position to a collapsed, generally flat position, and back to an erect position.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,671,698 entitled "Pet Carrier" discloses a pet housing having a rigid bottom panel enclosed in a bottom cover which is attached to a plastic mesh which is shaped to form the pet carrier sides and top. The plastic mesh is attached to inverted U shaped rigid frame members which hold the shape of the sides and top as well as provide structural support to protect the pet being transported. The pet carrier has a rear end panel and door of plastic mesh to complete the enclosure. There is a provision for a tray and absorbent pad in the bottom of the pet carrier for hygiene as well as a cover to protect the pet from the environment.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,133,294, entitled "Pet Carrier for Vehicles" discloses a pet carrier for use in a vehicle comprising a platform sized to generally fit on the passenger seat. Front, rear and side panels are pivotally connected to the platform for movement between generally horizontal positions and upright positions wherein they form a pet enclosure upstanding from the platform.
Finally, attention is directed to U.S. Pat. No. 5,715,772 entitled "Pet Carrier Absorbent Pad" which discloses an absorbent pad designed to be used with pet carriers to absorb liquids that may be present. Specifically, the pad is said to contain an absorbent layer having first and second sides, a first single direction moisture conveyor positioned proximate to at least one side of the absorbent layer for allowing moisture to pass toward the absorbent layer and for resisting passage of moisture out of said absorbent layer. A second single direction moisture conveyor is positioned proximate to said second side of said absorbent layer, wherein the first and second direction moisture conveyors are oriented about said absorbent layer so that moisture travels across said moisture conveyors only toward said absorbent layer.
As can be seen from the above review of the art, although certain pet carrier designs have been disclosed which are collapsible, and although absorbent pads of certain construction are known, there remains an on-going demand for a pet carrier design which more efficiently deals with liquid waste build-up, and which also collapses into a substantially flat configuration for ease of storage/transportation when not in use. Stated another way, pet carriers to date have shown themselves to be relatively bulky and heavy thereby failing to provide a simple, lightweight and portable pet carrier which provides both comfort and good hygiene for the pet, and also provides a safe/sturdy structure for protection during transport.
Accordingly, it is a general object of this invention to provide a pet carrier that is conveniently collapsible for storage, and which provides both the pet and the pet owner with a advantageous method to deal with the liquid animal waste that will occur in the carrier over extended periods of time.
More specifically, it is also an object of this invention to provide a pet carrier design that allows for ease of cleaning of animal waste, and which isolates the animal from the liquid waste when the pet is forced to remain in the carrier after relieving itself.
Finally, it is also an object of this invention to provide a more humane method of transporting pets. That is, it is an object of the invention herein to provide a pet carrier construction wherein the pet can be provided with essential liquid nourishment when in transport without fear of the pet becoming exposed to unsanitary and unhealthy conditions due to the evolution of a soiled environment.